“We haven’t really seen that much from Sam Burgess in the game environment as a midfield player yet.”

Burgess, 26, joined Bath from South Sydney Rabbitohs last year and, having started off with the Blue, Black and Whites playing at centre, he spent the last couple of months of the 2014-15 campaign in the back row.

“If you talk about midfield, for me it has to be Henry Slade,” said Baxter, who coached England’s forwards during their tour to Argentina two years ago.

“He’s got great qualities in the way he can pass, the way he can kick, the way he can distribute and he’s very strong defensively.

“In really tough, really tight international games, one of the most crucial things you need to have in your armoury is players that can make very good pass, kick and run decisions – because near enough every game comes down to two or three crucial moments when someone makes a good decision or someone makes a bad decision.

“If you talk about in the middle of the park, who’s going to have the full armoury, Henry’s always going to win that battle.”